Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya warns of serious repercussions if Israel continues violating the Gaza ceasefire, as Palestinian groups report escalating attacks and casualties.
GAZA: A senior Hamas leader has warned that Israel’s continued violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza will have “serious consequences”.
Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the group’s Political Bureau, made the statement in calls with mediators and international parties following Israeli attacks that killed 37 Palestinians in 24 hours.
He condemned what he described as Israel’s near-daily commission of “crimes and massacres” under “false pretexts and lies”.
Al-Hayya stressed that the Palestinian resistance’s commitment to the truce requires compelling Israel to meet its obligations.
Hamas also blamed Israel for failing to resolve the issue of Palestinians trapped in tunnels in the southern Rafah area.
Israel has refused to allow them to leave, claiming some belong to Hamas’s military wing.
Separately, Palestinian resistance groups accused Israel of a sharp escalation aimed at undermining ceasefire consolidation efforts.
The National and Islamic Forces Follow-up Committee stated that attacks intensified after the formation of the Gaza Strip Administration National Committee on Jan 17.
It said the assaults peaked at dawn on Friday, targeting buildings, shelters and police stations.
The committee reported that 71 people have been killed and 140 injured in Israeli attacks since Jan 17.
Gaza has also been subjected to 96 air and artillery strikes, with 17 homes destroyed.
The committee urged the US and international community to pressure Israel to halt the violations, warning they obstruct efforts to move to the truce’s second phase.
